Located not too far from the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Town has long been a longed- for destination for Europeans who either want to escape the northern winter or aim to experience something new, something different: The Mother City, as it is also known, likes to show off, enthralling first-time visitors — and luring many of them back for repeat visits.
The assets are manifold - reaching from natural beauty to award-winning wines and cuisine to a vibrant artistic and cultural scene. Sheltered by the iconic Table Mountain, the city is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the one hand and more than 150 wine farms on the other, all of which boast stunning sceneries.
A symbiosis of nature and art on the city’s outskirts
Outside the city, to the south, creativity finds its expression in a well-balanced symbiosis of natural and artistic elements: The Norval Foundation, inaugurated in April 2018, wows visitors even before they enter the building that seems to be an integral part of its surroundings. Apart from hosting a formidable sculpture garden, the centre for art and culture itself stands out thanks to its modern architecture. The Norval Foundation’s aim is to offer a stage to artists from Africa and the African diaspora, to be a canvas for both past and future, but with contemporary art taking centre stage.
Some of the bi-annually changing shows pay homage to renowned artists while others are more topical. Titled “When Rain Clouds Gather: Black South African Women Artists, 1940-2000”, the current show puts a spotlight on South African female artists and their creative work, with a separate exhibition dedicated to Irma Stern, one of the most notable South African painters, with a life that seems at least as impressive as her oeuvre. Her body of work consists of more than 800 oil paintings, numerous watercolour paintings, sketches, sculptures and ceramics, some of which can be viewed in her former home in the suburb of Rosebank.
Art in the grain silo
The city itself has added to its cultural portfolio with the opening of the Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary African Art) in 2017. Similar to the Norval Foundation, the building housing the museum is a piece of art in itself. Located in the harbour, the old grain silo has been hollowed out by means of elaborate concrete carving techniques to represent an enlarged grain of corn. The structure’s interior obviously takes into account its history, while the outside is a playful mix of elements, with the faceted windows creating a kaleidoscopic effect in the industrial facade. The museum’s 80 showrooms are home to permanent collections and changing exhibitions by established as well as up-and-coming artists from all over Africa.
The museum’s opening has led to a transformation of the entire area, with hotels, boutiques and restaurants having replaced dilapidated buildings and a run-down concrete jungle. As a direct neighbour, the five-star Silo Hotel opened its doors to the public at the same time as the Zeitz and houses its very own art collection, with pieces on loan from the hotel’s owner. It is hard to say what’s more impressive - the artworks on show or the hotel’s spectacular backdrop; the unobstructed views of the city, with Table Mountain looming in the background, seem rather artistic themselves.
The high art of hospitality
With a history dating back somewhat further than The Silo’s one, the Ellerman House is located in a complex of buildings that are steeped in tradition. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the exclusive hotel, which opened its doors in 1992, is renowned for its high standards of hospitality paired with an unparalleled collection of art.
As Cape Town’s first dedicated art hotel, the Ellerman House is home to a collection of South African art that is unrivalled both in scope and value. Around 1,000 pieces - among them 800 paintings - are part of the interior and as such on show indefinitely. However, in order to make sure that regular visitors - who make up for the majority of guests - get to see something new from time to time, some, if not all of the works are being replaced or rotated on a regular basis. Interested parties can book private tours and learn about specific objects as well as artists. “We have had guests wanting to acquire a piece or two,” says CEO Carol Kohne. “However, none of our art is for sale.”
Private tours and collective appreciations of art
That being said, the hotel does cater to potential art buyers, taking into account their personal tastes. Apart from in-house art tours, the Ellerman House offers tailor-made outings to different galleries or art-inspired wine farms. Before the Corona pandemic, there were more than 50 galleries dotted around the city centre, some of them with branches in Johannesburg or even Europe. And while not all of them have survived the impact of Corona, the scene is still lively and vibrant. A guided tour is the best way to dive right in and get the most out of it.
But the scene is not only open to connoisseurs and collectors. In order to reach a wider audience, the city galleries collectively initiated an open day, held on the first Thursday of every month and named accordingly. Since most of the showrooms are in close proximity to the restaurants and bars on trendy Bree Street, “First Thursdays” have turned into an event that combines art with culinary highlights and usually turns into a party that will only end in the small hours. Weather permitting, some of the roads will be closed to traffic to create space for pedestrians who come in great numbers, especially during the summer months. While Cape Town seems to be in hibernation during the cold months, South Africans generally love to be outdoors and are not averse to the art of laissez-faire. They are lucky: During summer, rainy days and cold temperatures are rare and can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
